My first entry for 2011 and eleventh entry for Food Trip Friday…happy to be back and be part of Food Photo Weekly Meme!

I will be sharing few of our menu last New Years Eve, its the Pasta e Fagioli (White Bean and Pasta Soup) together with Caesar Salad…one of the main-course soup and salad menus that is most requested according to my MINUTEMEALS Book…then serving Peach Float for dessert was just lovely!

Make the Pasta e Fagioli (White Bean and Pasta Soup)

Ingredients:

1 garlic clove (omit if using garlic flavored oil)

2 tablespoons olive oil or garlic-flavored oil

1/4 pound sausage (sweet Italian sausage, optional)

1/4 cup onion slices

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled or 1 small fress rosemary sprigs

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 small fresh thyme sprig

1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes

1 cup dry white wine

2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each fat-free reduced sodium chicken broth

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup small shaped pasta such as elbows

grated parmesan cheese, for serving optional

Procedure:

1. Finely chop the garlic to measure 1 teaspoon.

2. In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the sausage, if using, minced garlic (omit if using garlic oil), onions, rosemary and thyme. Cook, stirring and breaking up the sausage, for 2 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.

3. Add the wine and boil for 2 minutes, until reduced by half.

4. Rinse and drain the beans. Add them with the chicken broth to the pan, stir to combine, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to boil.

5. Stir in the pasta, reduce the heat to medium-low, and partially cover. Simmer gently for 10 to 12 minutes, or until pasta is tender.

Assemble the Caesar Salad…you’ll be needing a romaine lettuce, croutons and caesar salad dressing. Tear the romaine into bite-sized pieces and put in a salad bowl. Add dressing to taste and toss to coat. Sprinkle croutons generously over top.

Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan Cheese for sprinkling over the top, I did put a lot for K loves it. Put on the table the Caesar Salad…and when ready for dessert, slice Peach Float for each and everyone!

The pasta e fagioli is so easy to do, in just 20 minutes it will be done and the herbs and cheese can make a big difference! If you will be using garlic-flavored oil it can livens up a dish in a hurry—adds flavors!

Oh, by the way, the recipe comes from MINUTESMEALS (20-minute gourmet menus) book that I bought from a second-hand bookshop here last December, its a best buy, very easy to follow with their menu gameplan that shows the sequence of just how to go about cooking the meal—what dish to be started first, what should follow and so on.

My family loves it and I think my friends too! And yes, I love it too! *winks*

Hope you enjoy my share for this week and Happy Chinese New Year to everyone!